Korngold Violin

On this disc, the playing's the thing and it is fabulous. Originally made in 1979 and 1980, these recordings capture Perlman at his incomparable peak. The effortless perfection of his technique leaves you gasping in disbelief; even the infamously unplayable passages in the Sibelius Finale are tossed off with easy nonchalance, and he avoids the false accents often heard in the treacherous opening theme. And Perlman's toneis warm, mellow, pure, and constantly expressive; its golden glow is like burnished copper on the low strings, like radiant sunshine up high, and he can vary it instantaneously with bow and vibrato to fit the music.

The star of this consistently first-rate disc of music by Korngold is violinist Philippe Quint, whose focused tone, incisive intonation, athletic technique, and expressive phrasing ideally suit the composer's supremely Romantic Violin Concerto. This strong-willed account is deeply emotional and immensely appealing; Quint's opening Moderato is noble, his central Andante amorous, and his concluding Allegro assai vivace exuberant. Carlos Miguel Prieto leads the Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería in a dynamic reading that sounds less like an accompaniment and more like a partnership of equals. In the purely orchestral Overture to a Drama and Concert Suite from Much Ado About Nothing, Prieto and the Mexican orchestra turn in a pair of tremendous performances.

Anne-Sophie Mutter's virtuosity is so crystal clear that she doesn't even have to try any more. The ease with which she gets into her first solo in the Tchaikovsky is astounding–we hardly know what hit us–and she tackles the cadenza as if it were just another integral part of the work, rather than draw attention to the fact that it's a rather awkward cadenza at that. Her attacks are clean and strong and her tone is always deep and round; this is the epitome of the Romantic approach. The final movement draws attention to itself somewhat, but the listener remains dazzled.

Andrew Haveron and John Wilson deliver a fresh and intensely idiomatic reading of Korngolds Violin Concerto, coupled with the formidable String Sextet. One of the most sought-after violinists of his generation and a laureate of some of the most prestigious international violin competitions, Andrew Haveron studied in London at the Purcell School and the Royal College of Music. As a soloist, he has collaborated with conductors such as Jií Blohlávek, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Roger Norrington, David Robertson, Stanisaw Skrowaczewski, and John Wilson, performing a broad range of well-known and less familiar concertos with many of the finest orchestras in the UK. In 1999 he was appointed first violinist of the internationally acclaimed Brodsky Quartet.